Six days in hospital and serious injuries: this is the impact of driving too fast past a horse
A rider was trampled by her horse who had been spooked by a van passing at speed
Police are hunting the van driver whose speed caused a horse to spook and trample her fallen rider, causing serious injuries.
Hannah Green suffered a broken rib, lacerated liver and internal bleeding when her thoroughbred Winnie stood on her in Melksham, Wiltshire, on 31 July. Hannah told H&H the driver did not stop.
“It all happened so fast,” she said. “I didn’t even really see the van as he went past so fast, and Winnie just went straight up.”
Hannah said there is a lay-by area outside her yard on Lower Woodrow Road so riders can close the gate then use a mounting block to get on.
“I was just on and she’s a typical racehorse who wants to walk straight away but she only went two steps, stopped at the front of the drive, and this van came whizzing past,” she said.
“It might not have been on purpose because he didn’t see us because of the hedges but it just freaked her out. She reared up, ran backwards, hit the gate, which freaked her out even more.
“She shot out across the road, fell down the ditch, and when she came out, I came off. She ran over me, fell down the ditch on the same side as the yard, then ran down the road.”
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Luckily, Winnie turned and came back to the yard drive rather than carrying on along the road. Hannah called her husband, and she was taken to hospital.
Taken to hospital
“My friend said to my husband: ‘I don’t know where Hannah or the horse is, so be careful going round the corners’,” she said. “A man on a pushbike got to me first, then a lady in a car, and another man held Winnie. I got taken by ambulance to Bath hospital; they scanned me and found I was internally bleeding so I was transferred to Southmead, and spent six days there.”
Hannah had to spend another five days on bed rest at home, except a very minor trip to the yard when a chiropractor came to check her.
“I was there as Winnie had kissing spines surgery last July and I wanted to make sure she was ok,” she said. “She was out in her hips and shoulders but she sorted her out and gave her the green light, and a friend’s ridden her for me. I’ve had to have friends looking after her.”
Hannah hopes to start riding again next month if she is recovered enough. She added that there are already horse warning signs on that stretch of road, as there are a few yards there.
60mph speed limit
“The speed limit is 60mph and it needs to be lower, and have more horse signs, as there are six yards on that bit of toad,” she said. “I have spoken to the rural police team and they’ve given me some British Horse Society signs and I’ve got to speak to the yard owner about putting them up.
“It could have been so much worse; if the people in the car had been that much closer, they would have hit us.”
A Wiltshire Police spokesperson said officers would like to hear from anyone who saw the incident or may have dashcam footage of the van. It is described as white with brown markings on the side.
“We’d also like to remind drivers of the importance of passing horses wide and slow, keeping at least two metres’ distance and reducing speed to a maximum of 10mph,” he said.
“If you can help, please email PC Hosken at 70915@wiltshire.police.uk quoting reference 54260097384.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.